£222 GREAT ELEPHANT. 



into two casts, viz. the Koomareah, and the 

 Merghee. The first consists of the large or full- 

 bodied kind ; the second of the more slender, with 

 longer legs and thinner trunk in proportion ; it is 

 also a taller animal, but not so strong as the for- 

 mer. A large trunk is always considered as a 

 great beauty in an Elephant, so that the Kooma- 

 reah is preferred not only on this account, but for 

 his superior strength in carrying burthens, &c. 

 Many indistinct varieties are again produced from 

 the intermixture of these two breeds. The torrid 

 zone seems to be the natural clime of the Elephant, 

 and the most favourable for the production of 

 the largest and hardiest race ; and when this ani- 

 mal migrates beyond the tropics, the species de- 

 generates. On the coasts of Malabar, Elephants 

 are taken as far north as the territories of Coorgah 

 Rajah; but these, according, to Mr. Corse, are 

 much inferior t(# the Ceylonese Elephant. 



Mr. Corse's observations on the teeth of the 

 Elephant, and the gradual progress of dentition, 

 are extremely curious. The principal particulars 

 are the following : 



" The tusks in some female Elephants are so 

 small as not to appear beyond the lip, whilst in 

 others they are almost as large and long as in one 

 variety of the male, called Mooknah. The grind- 

 ers are so much alike in both sexes, that one de- 

 scription may serve for both. The largest tusks, 

 and from which the best ivory is supplied, are 

 taken from that kind of male Elephant, called 

 Dauntelah, from this circumstance, in opposition 



